Barbican berth

Two new cinema screens were unveiled at the Barbican last week, the first addition to the venue since London's now-stalwart arts institution opened 30 years ago. Dame Vivienne Westwood declared the building open by cutting a vibrant green ribbon which, it was announced, she had designed herself. Upon looking at it though, scissors poised, the Queen of Fashion declared: "I don't think I've ever seen this before so maybe my assistant chose it." The venue – for now called Cinemas 2 and 3, although I understand there is much internal debate about naming them – has a magnificent collage of movie-star stills on its back wall as you go into the screening rooms. There were several movie buffs puzzling over which films the images came from: was that headshot of John Wayne from She Wore a Yellow Ribbon or The Searchers?

Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth together, but in what? (I thought it was You Were Never Lovelier, but that was in black and white and this image is in colour…) One could spend hours in front of it, and I left the doyennes from new wave films arguing over Orson Welles. For all I know, they might still be there…

Small beer

This week's Trash award for egregious product placement goes to Hollywood romcom Celeste and Jesse Forever, starring Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg. Not for Celeste's white Lacoste sunglasses, fetching though I thought those were, but for the bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale Jesse is seen drinking in a Los Angeles bar. Granted, he is at a low ebb in the film, but who knew the tipple of Tyneside had got so chic?

Has geordie ambassador Peter Beardsley forsaken a career in punditry and begun hawking local produce around Hollywood studios?

Bifa

Tonight sees the 15th British independent film awards. Now sponsored by Moët, I remember the first one of these, a small do with a beer and a sandwich in a Soho pub. Traditionally, it has been one of the warmest celebrations on the circuit, a first coming together of all the British film talent who have collaborated over the year, often in less than glamorous circumstances, such as caravan parks in the Peak District (I'm thinking of Sightseers, here, with seven nominations).

Still, I'd like to see these films rewarded with bigger audiences, and with government investment announced in film last week – a rare bit of good news for any sector – as well as Cineworld's purchase of the art house Picturehouse chain, it would be wonderful to think that someone somewhere will be looking after the interests of British directors and stars and giving them a dedicated screen where audiences can discover the talents blossoming here.